Origins
by GrayFox7
Summary: The Federation had other heroes besides Samus Aran. Heroes who risked everything to save the lives of the innocent. Heroes who lost everything to complete their duty.


Well look at this? My first fic on . I always read stuff on here but this is my first submission.

Anyway I have some things to say about this piece before I get started. This story is based around a character I created for an rp years ago. This story lays down the origins of that character and how he came to be. I originally submitted this story on Deviantart, so if you see chapters on that site don't freak out. I'm not plagiarizing because this is MY story; I'm just submitting it in two different spots.

Comments are appreciated. Thank you very much and enjoy.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Metroid. Quick question, how would you really pronounce "Aran" anyway?  
>Origins, Chapter 1: Valedictorian<p>

"Five Minutes left in the exercise. There are only five minutes left in the exercise. If there is not a victor within that time limit the round will end in a draw." The monotone voice of the simulation's computer blared through the corridors of the empty Federation Frigate.

The warning was enough to get Darman to pick up his pace a bit. Beforehand he had been doing his best to put as little weight as possible into his steps to reduce the sound that they would make against the metal floor, but as the computer warned him about the conclusion of the exercise, he knew that was no longer an issue. The last five minutes of a Cage match scenario, as it was called, was when there was any real competition, because it was the only time that everyone was forced into the open as they searched for their opponents. Given, nobody wanted to take a stun round to the chest due to the numbness it brought for a good 2 hours afterwards, but missing the chance of winning a Cage match was much worse to a Marine Recruit. Especially if that chance of winning was to win against the Recruit who was currently top of the class.

Darman kept his arm cannon ready as he sprinted down the barracks corridor of the Frigate, following the signs that were displayed on the floor that read "Armory". The Recruit knew that the only time someone could gain access to the Armory without authorization was during a Code Red battle situation, and in the last five minutes of a Cage match, that's what the simulation was set to. Darman also knew that despite the fact that everyone would be rushing for the Armory, some people would still be camping out and waiting for someone to come around the corner. Darman's assumption was proven correct as he suddenly saw the silhouette of another Marine pop out of a doorway further down the corridor.

In a head on scenario like this, there was hardly anyway to take cover, at which point it was simply who fired first. Darman won out in that quick draw scenario, already having his arm cannon at a firing position as he was moving and allowing him to fire four pulsing shots of energy into the other Marine's sternum and visor. The shots dropped the marine like a sack of hammers, his metal suit pounding against the floor as Darman hopped over him and kept moving. The Computer then gave another announcement:

"Private Jennings eliminated by Private Radcliffe." The voice sounded.

Darman could hear the fighting in the Armory before he even got close. The sound of Power Beam shots being fired and bouncing off the bulkheads resonated all the way down the corridor and he heard quite a few thuds from marine bodies hitting the floor. Aside from that, the only sound Darman could hear was his own breathing, the sounds of his footsteps and the computer droning on about other people's kills. He wasn't arrogant enough to not catch the computer repeating two or three names quite excessively however.

The Armory door was wide open as Darman arrived. He pressed his back up against the wall next to the door and listened in. Dead silence. Normally Darman would have relied on his radar at this point, but it was disabled in Cage Match. The only thing he could rely on was his own senses and cunning. Darman slowly moved his head towards the edge of the door and peered inside. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, he could see a few weapons lockers on the bottom floor and his vision was far too impaired to see what was on the second level above. It would be the perfect place for the trap.

"There's only one thing to do in that case." Darman muttered to himself. He took one last deep breath and darted inside, keeping his head low as his suspicions were proven right. What seemed to be the sounds of hundreds of shots ringed out around him, Darman moving from locker to locker to avoid the enemy fire before he finally stopped behind one of the larger ones. He decided to catch his breath as his attackers decided to play the oldest ploy in the book, playing with their food.

"Ha-ha! Well look at this! Mr. Number One hiding and cornered like a rat! Someone get me a freaking camera!" One of the men laughed. Darman recognized the voice of one his fellow Recruits Carl Johnson.  
>"Figures, he'd be the only one who could lug a Vulcan around." Darman sighed. Those dozen of shots he had heard had come in such quick succession that Darman suspected that the assailant was either using a Vulcan class turret gun or he was being hit from all sides, the former being the correct choice.<p>

"Damn right! You scared daddy's boy? I've got a grenade with your name on it!" A second voice came in a thick, Texan accent. It was Homer Tuck, the resident farm boy at the Academy. The fact that he was spouting off nonsense about a grenade told Darman that he had picked up a grenade launcher attachment for his arm cannon.

Carl and Homer were almost never apart, so that combined with the fact that he heard nothing else except laughter told Darman that they were the last two in the Armory. Homer was most likely providing cover from up above with his launcher while Carl was on Darman's level to cut him to pieces when he left his cover.

"Two minutes until exercise conclusion. There are only two minutes left until the exercise is concluded." The computer said again.

"You heard the machine, Darman. Time to get numbed up!" Carl said as he heard the sound of the Vulcan being reloaded. He didn't have a lot of time, so Darman had to work fast.

"So if you're both attacking me, who gets the kill?" Darman shouted from his cover. Carl was the first to answer.

"I think we know the answer to that. I'm going to tan your daddy boy's ass so many times your daddy's going to be sore!" Carl said. Homer gave a cheer of agreement as Darman cursed. He needed to try harder.

"Right, but then what? It'll still be a draw if one of you doesn't go down. I'd say Homer set up a pretty good vantage point, don't you Carl?" Darman asked. There was a bit of silence this time. Darman heard a few metal footsteps to tell him that Carl had turned around.

"Yeah…you have. What the hell are you doing Homer?" Carl shouted angrily at his partner.

"I'm not doing anything except helping you, you idiot! I'm only up here to provide cover!" He spat back. Carl growled in response and then the two broke out in heated argument, just as Darman had planned. He quietly moved out from his cover and stuck close to the wall to avoid being seen in the light by Homer. Darman made his way to the locker he had been going for since the start, the one holding the Missile Launcher. The upgrade integrated with his suit immediately upon touching it, the technology allowed a quick and easy adaption so that no heavy duty operating was required. With the new upgrade in tow, Darman took aim at Carl first.

"Game over." Darman said as he fired the first missile. The projectile traveled in a quick linear motion, striking Carl and producing a blue shockwave that would knock him down with an enormous thud due to his weight. Homer barely had anytime to react as he loaded a grenade into his arm cannon, but it was already too late. Darman fired another shot at the hick and blasted him away just as he had his partner.

"Private Johnson eliminated by Private Radcliffe. Private Tuck eliminated by Private Radcliffe. Only one Recruit remaining. Private Radcliffe is the victor." The computer resonated as the scenery around Darman slowly began to become nothing but pixels and stripped walls again. The simulation was over.

"That's all for today gentlemen. Hit the showers. Johnson and Tuck, Come to my quarters as soon as you can walk again." The voice of the training instructor was now the one blaring out of the intercom. Darman looked around the blank simulator field and saw the forms of other Recruits giving loud groans as they slowly pushed themselves to their feet and made their way to the exits. As Darman did the same, he heard the instructor once more.  
>"And Radcliffe, good work." He added. Darman gave a small smile behind his visor and gave a nod. It wasn't all that bad being at the top.<p> 


End file.
